Court awards N12m damages against police for abduction of Nigerian journalist
Federal Court Orders Police to Pay Damages for Journalist’s Detention
A Federal Capital Territory High Court, under the direction of Justice Bello Kawu, has mandated the Nigeria Police Force to pay 12 million naira in damages for the unlawful detention of journalist Kasarahchi Aniagolu of the online publication The Whistler.
According to a statement from the newspaper, Aniagolu was arrested and detained for eight hours on February 21, 2024, in Abuja. The detention occurred during a police operation targeting illegal currency exchange operations in the Wuse Zone 4 area.
Aniagolu subsequently filed a lawsuit on October 25, 2024, against the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, seeking 100 million naira in damages. In her claim, she alleged that police officers not only abducted her but also violated her privacy by seizing her phone and deleting stored photographs.
Additionally, the journalist accused the police of inhumane treatment during her detention, asserting a violation of her fundamental rights. Her legal representation came from the Abuja-based law firm of Adekunle Kosoko, Esq.
In a ruling issued on July 29, 2026, the court stated that the police committed acts of inhuman and degrading treatment, which contravened Section 34(1)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution. The court also noted that her abduction and detention infringed upon her personal liberty as outlined in Section 35(1) of the same constitution.
As a result, Justice Kawu ordered the police to pay Aniagolu 10 million naira for the violation of her rights, in addition to 2 million naira to cover legal costs.
As of this report, the police had not publicly responded to the court’s judgment.
